Poor George Clooney! Food Poisoning Strikes During Italian Vacation

Proving that food poisoning knows no celebrity status, People.com reported that George Clooney and Stacy Keibler got a bout while vacationing in Italy earlier this month.

“Finally had a bad meal in Italy,” Keibler Tweeted. “Our whole dinner party got food poisoning #ohwell at least I’m still in Italy.”

While we love Stacy’s positive attitude, if you have only one week a year to go on vacation, getting sick can be a real drag.

So here, three tips to prevent food poisoning mishaps while you’re away (although some cases, sadly, are just unavoidable), from Harry A. Milman, PhD, consulting toxicologist in Rockville, Maryland.

Make freshness a priority Yes, sandwiches displayed in the window look delish, but if it’s a warm café, your food could be spoiled. “The longer food sits out in a warm environment, the more time bacteria has to grow,” says Milman. Go for made-to-order food when possible.

Don’t doggy bag it Planning on saving half your fromage sandwich to munch on later in the day? Unless you bring it straight back to your hotel (rather than toting it with you to a museum, monument, or park) — the risk of food poisoning makes it not worth the money you’ll save, says Milman. Instead, cough up the dough for a new snack.

Wash off farmers’ market buys When you’re traveling, one of the most fun things to do is visit the local farmers’ market. But biting into a fresh peach that you just purchased could pose risks. “There’s a chance there are pesticides still on your fruits and veggies, so make sure to give them a thorough wash before eating,” Milman says.